Sounding-board for phonographs.



O. B. WILLAMS.

SOUN-DING BOARD FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLiCATION FILED JUNE I2, 1915.

1 9 1 86,869. I Patented J une 13, 1910.

. OWn B. t/771mm? wwwwow 'JZMA, d fl nked v a citizen of the United States of America, K

- messe 'sra'rns rare OWEN B. wiLLmms. or SEATTLE, wasnmoaron,

SOUNDING-BOABD non PHONQGBAPES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN. B. WILLIAMS,

and resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and-State of Washington, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sounding-Boards for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to phonograph apparatus, or apparatus intended for reproducing sounds employing as a medium therefor permanent records, such as are employed in machines of-the class defined by the ge neric term phonographs. i

My invention comprises certain parts and combinations thereof which will be hereinafter set forth and particularly defined in l the claims terminating this specification.

. The object ofwmyinvention is to eliminate certain objectionable qualities in the sounds reproduced in apparatus of this kind, par

ticularly such sounds as harsh and unnatural tones and the squeakiness or shrill character of sounds as-sometimes produced. This comprises an improvement inthe tonal qualities of the sounds reproduced" making them more correct reproduction .of th original sounds.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention in the form of consti action which is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the rotative bell or table upon'which the reproducing disk is supported while in use. Fig. 2 is a half plan view of one type of construction for the novel device which constitutes my invention. Fig. 3isia like half plan view of the same member with slight modifications of structure, and Fig. 4 is a section showing in detail the construe tion of the supporting foot or projection.

My invention is intended for use particularly with that type of phonographic apparatus which employs a circular disk as a recipient of the permanent record. I have discovered that by employing a sounding; board as'the element by which the record disk is supported, the tone of the sounds reproduced by the machine are improved and made more natural reproductions of the original sounds. I have therefore constructed a sounding board which, as herein shown, is of the outline of a disk, which is placed upon the hell or rotative table upon which the permanent record disk is-placed',

. I Specification of Letters Patent.

stiffen it and to maintain its correct sliape.

jPatented June 13,1916. Application filed June 12, 191i: serial no. same. i

Y and place said record disk upon said sou rid The points by which this sounding board is supported should be reduced in number and I have found the best results to follow from placing these supporting points'inwardly ashort distance from the outer edge ofthe board. The same is true with regard i to the contact between the sounding board and the record and I prefer to have these latter contacts located at a. still greater distance inward from the outer edge of the board;

.In the half plan view shown in Fig. 2,

the points ofcontactbetweeii the'sounding board and the rotative table, or bell, 6, con-- sists of a slight downwardly projecting cir- 'cular rib 3, and the points of support for the record disk 7', consist of a like upwardly projecting circular rib 4.- In the modification shown in the half plan view of vFig.

.3,.slight projecting knobs or legs 30 and i0 take the place of the ridges 3 and 4.

I prefer that the main body of the di sk 1 which forms the sounding board, shall be coinposed'ot shallow, conical surfaces,

as has been shown to a somewhat exaggerated extent in Fig. 1. From the projections:

3 by which the sounding board is supported, the surface thereof slopes upwardly to the projecting supports el, upon which the rec as I,

say

ord disk rests, and then slopes downwardly to the center of the sounding board. The

sounding board is provided with a central hole a which fits over the centering pin 8- provided 'for machines of this type At 9 is shown the, needle and diapliragm-carryingmember of the phonograph.

I have secured good results using sounding boards whichdifi'er in some details of construction from those above described.

.100 The material of which these sounding boards are made may be varied. It should he a material having good resonant'qualities and which will preserve its shape and should also be sufficiently substantial to enable it to be handled with ordinary care without injury. i

As a material, I have made use of brass of different compositions and otherwise of dif-. ferent qualities. I do not wish tolimit my self to any particular material, .as I con-Q templatetheuse of any material whichhas' the proper resonant quality and which may be suitably made and handled,

Such a soundin board as above described and as illustrate in the drawings, may be placed directly-upon the rotative bell 6 and will not raise the disk to such an extent but that the needle carrying apparatus maybe applied .,'and removed without necessitating any alterations in the apparatus. By the use of a sounding board of-this character,

1 find that the tones" of the reproduced sound are considerably improved, being clearer and more natural. There is also 8.

-- softness in the tone which is quite. marked when compared with the harshness sometimesfound with instruments ofthis kind.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, 1s:-

board of resonant material separate from and adapted to be interposed between the record and the rotative bell or table and havirig undampcd contact with each.

'2, n phonographic apparatus, a sounding board of resonant material separate from and adapted to be interposed between the record and the rotative bell or table, and having a part thereof of limited area projected to form supports upon which the record is carried.

3. In phonographic apparatus, a sounding ,"board of resonant material separate from integral parts thereof of limited area and adapted to be interposed between the record and the rotativebell or table-having jected to form supports at each side by which it is itself supported and supports the record. j

4. In phonographic apparatus, a sounding board adapted to be interposed between the record and the rotative bell or table, and haying supporting downward projections located inward'from its periphery and upward-projections for the support of the rec- 0rd located, farther inward from the pe riphery.

'5. In phonographic apparatus, a sounding board adapted to be 1nterpo'sed between the record and the rotative hell or table having 1, In phonographic apparatus, a sounding a stifiening flange extending about its periphery, and having supporting downward projections located inward from its periphery and upward projections for the sup ort of the record located farther inward rom the periphery.-

6. In phonographic apparatus, a sounding board having downwardly projecting supports circularly disposed inwardly of its periphery and upwardly projecting record supports circularly disposed still farther from the eriphery, the body of said sounding board containing two oppositely inclined coned surfaces joining on the circle of the record supporting projections.

7. In an apparatus for the phonographic production of sound, a support for a record during use consisting of a resonant diaphragm having its contact with the record reference to its center.

production of sound, a support for a record during use consisting of a resonant metallic diaphragm having direct contact with the record and the turntable and at points contained within narrow zones which are concentric with itscenter. v,

9. A device for application to phonographic apparatus comprising a resonant metallic disk adapted for insertion between the turntable and the meord to support the latter, said disk having projections having like resonant qualities as the disk for supporting contact with the turntable and with the record.

10. In a sound reproducing machine, a support for a record disk consisting of a resonantly responsive member having its contact with the record disk limited to relatively small areas consisting solely of vibrant materials.

11. In a sound reproducing machine, a support for a record disk consisting of a resonantly responsive member having its contact with the record disk and with its support limited to relatively small areas consisting solely of vibrant materials.

Signed at Scattle, \Vashington, this 7th day of June 1915. r

' OWEN B.- WILLIAMS.

confined to points symmetrically placed with.

8. In an apparatus for the phonographic 

